The present invention is directed toward a novel, key intermediate for the preparation of deferoxamine. Deferoxamine is well known in the art as a natural product which is microbial iron chelator and was first isolated from Streptomyces pilosus which utilized it to obtain iron from the environment. Its synthesis and characterization were documented by Bickel (Helv. Chim. Acta., Vol.43. p. 2129) in 1960. Deferoxamine has various pharmaceutical uses such as the treatment of hemodialysis-induced aluminum accumulation in the brain and for iron overload conditions.
The synthesis of deferoxamine and its analogs has been described in various publications such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,471,476 and 3,247,197 and European patent application No. 0 347 163 published 20 Dec. 1989. Despite the various methods disclosed for the synthesis of deferoxamine new and more economical means for synthesis have been sought. The present invention discloses a key intermediate which can be prepared from readily available ingredients and using conventional chemistry. This provides a distinct advantage over previous methods for the synthesis of deferoxamine which have required the use sensitive chemical procedures or difficult to prepare intermediates.